Camp Sickles V^a

May 12^th /63.

 

Dear Mother—

                        I seat myself to write you a few lines in rather a hurry. This is a very warm day and the boys are all gasping for breath—it is "V^a in earnest" I am well as usual and my arm is gathering strength midling fast though quite numb yet. I feel thankful to Almighty God for his care over me and for the preservation of my life through a scene of slaughter equal if not greater than the first battle of Fredricksburgh. Lt Brady was shot dead by my side Henry Owens had his brains blown all over me Casper Love was shot behind me & thanks to God I am well! O! Such fighting as the 3^d Corps did at / Chancellorsville has seldom been equaled The "fixin" which struck me went through my canteen & haversack & struck me on the left fore-arm bruising it considerably and causing it to swell and get rather of a blue color but it will be all right in a few days I hope.

 

            I would have written before now but I waited to see if we would get our pay which we did yesterday; and to-day I gave our Sutler (Mr Dean) Seventy Dollars ($70.00) in a letter to be left at A. J. M^cKean's Store in Mercer Pa for you My comrade Curtis Wingar also enclosed Thirty two ($32.00) Dollars in the same envelope for his father which you will please / forward to him & oblige me

 

            I got all my pay $104.00. I paid $12.00 of debts & send you $70.00 the rest I keep for future use $22.00. Do as you please with what I send you & much good may it do you. I wish it was twice as much for your sake

 

Tell Jno Snyder that I saw B. F. Smith of fife & drum notoriety. He looks well. He was at our camp yesterday. He is now in Co. M. 2^d U.S. Cavalry.

 

We look for another move soon—a more successful one than the last two

 

Tell Lizzie if I can make it I'l be at her exhibition on the 1^st of June— 

 

Those $2.00 of Lizzie's are of no value down here for nothing but Green backs will pass it is good at home so I send it back with many thanks

 

Tell Jimmie not to work so as to hurt himself he can do enough without over-doing himself—I know the folly of such work—

 

No more but

as ever your Son

J. D. Baker.

 

Mother

1863

 

I almost forgot to enclose a flower which I picked up on the battle field of Chancellorsville but I do it now it is an innocent little thing

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